'World Cup Squad is a Waste of Time'

Veteran Jamaican cricket columnist Tony Becca believes the decision to pick a 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup in South Africa next year is "a waste of time."

"It is a waste of time for three simple reasons. The first reason is that with the World Cup scheduled to start on February 9, with the West Indies idle between now and then and with the regional tournament set to start on January 31, there will be no other opportunity to assess the players in match conditions," Becca said.

He dismissed the so-called preparations because the timing of of the mini-camp -- January 14 to 28 -- leave no time to get ready with practice matches or even official net sessions - beforethe final squad of 15 is selected by December 31.

"The third reason is that based on the selection of players over the past year or so when everything, certainly as far as one-day matches were concerned, should have been focused on the World Cup, and the performance of their young batsmen recently, there should not be more than 17 or 18 players from whom the final 15 will be selected," Becca argued.

"Looking at the squad of 15 for the World Cup, it should be eight batsmen, one wicketkeeper, and with their best allrounders, including Carl Hooper, numbered among their best batsmen, six bowlers," he added.

Becca, who writes cricket columns for the Jamaica Gleaner, believes the eight batsman in a shortlisted squad should be Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Ricardo Powell, Carl Hooper and Brian Lara. He suggested Ridley Jacobs be the wicketkeeper and the six bowlers should come from Merv Dillon, Pedro Collins, Jermaine Lawson, Daren Powell, Vasbert Drakes, Corey Colymore and Cameron Cuffy and legspinner Mahendra Nagamootoo or allrounder Gareth Breese with his offspin.

Unless the selectors are admitting that they have been guessing all along, or that they have been pulling names from a hat, that should be it, he argued.

Becca believes a case can be made for the inclusion of Floyd Reifer to serve as back-up in case of an injury. Other back-up candidates should be Daren Ganga, Ryan Hinds and wicketkeeper Keith Hibbert.

"Following the performances that led to their omission and then their non selection during the past year or so, following their non performance in the regional competitions, it would be strange, despite the weakness of the bowling, if the selectors are really thinking not only of Marlon Black and Reon King but also, despite his early promise and a reasonable season in South Africa, Nixon McLean," he added.